February 11, 2018

Before We Worship

A wise saint (Spurgeon?) once said, “He who has a bible that is falling apart has a life that isn’t.” In other words, the believer whose frequent study and mediation of God’s word has left his bible worn and tattered, will be known by the quality of his life. He makes wise decisions. People trust his character and word. There is an integrity about his life that is very attractive. God’s Word has produced good fruit for him.

There is a flip side, of course. Some believers merely give a lip service to the importance of God’s Word. They do not diligently or faithfully attend to the ministry of the Word. They have no zeal or consistency in private reading of the Word. Their lives, in turn, is almost a comically unbroken chain of unwise decisions, crises, and drama. Or, they may have the misfortune of having a relatively smooth life. Their life is just good enough into fooling them that life works just fine without God’s Word. Such people will be immediately turned off by Psalm 119.

The longest chapter in the entire Bible will test us. It will reveal just what sort of people we are. Psalm 119 is about one subject, the Word of God. It is 176 verses of praising the Word. But, more importantly, it is God’s own statement about himself and how life works. Ps 119:2 says, “Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart.” God has, as it were, stepped into the witness stand to give a trustworthy testimony. He answers “How can a young man keep his way pure?” (v.9) with “seek me with your whole heart do not wander from my commandments!” (v.10). To seek him means a habitual coming to God to learn from him. “Oh that my ways may be steadfast in keeping your statutes! Then I shall not be put to shame, having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.”

Well, do you receive God’s testimony as true? If we do, Ps 119 will lead us to the one who was utterly steadfast in keeping God’s statutes (v.10), who with his whole heart sought the LORD and did not wander from his commandments (v.11). Ps 119 will lead us to Jesus, for our blessedness is only found in Jesus’ trust and love of God’s testimonies. And as we increasingly grow in Jesus’ likeness, we will learn to trust, love, and praise what Jesus trusted, loved, and praised, namely, God’s Word.

Ps 119 will thus be both a mirror and a window for us. In this mirror we see the true condition of our heart. And through this window we see Jesus Christ. So look into it! And trust, as God says, that we cannot live without God’s Word. All delight and pleasures of life, when we are not delighting in God’s Word, do not prove that we are blessed. They prove, rather, that we have the misfortune of having a “good” life. But it really isn’t!

Call to Worship

Psalm 119:1–24 (reading responsively from TH p. 829)

Trinity Hymnal #148 “How Shall the Young Direct Their Way”

Trinity Hymnal #731 “Doxology”

Prayer of Invocation

The Reading and Exposition of the Law

1 Timothy 2:1–2 (p. 991)

Prayer of Confession

The Proclamation of the Gospel

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)

Trinity Hymnal #257 “Stricken, Smitten, and Afflicted”

The Heidelberg Catechism (1563) — Lord’s Day 7

Presentation of Gifts and Offering

Pastoral Prayer

The Proclamation of God’s Word

Galatians 4:8–20 (p. 974)

A Pastor’s Plea

Rev. Ken Han

The Sacrament of The Lord’s Supper

We participate in the Lord’s Supper weekly. We welcome to the Lord’s Table all baptized believers who have sincere faith in Jesus Christ, and regularly worship in a Reformed or evangelical church.

The Lord’s Supper is a sign and a seal of the new covenant blessings. When we participate in the Lord’s Supper with faith, it strengthens our bond with our covenant Lord, Jesus Christ. Thus we participate properly when we come to our Savior with faith and repentance as we renew our resolve to forsake sin and live for his glory.

The Lord’s Supper also renews our bonds with God’s covenant community, the body of believers in the local church. As we receive the Lord’s Supper, we renew our pledge to give ourselves away in loving service.

During the distribution of the bread we will sing Trinity Hymnal #647 “How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds” stanzas 1–3, and stanzas 4–6 during the distribution of the cup.